Through all the family cases that we have handled, we have come to accept, without discounting the contrary, the sad fact that bad blood exists between the opposing parties (e.g., estranged spouses in annulment/separation/property cases, siblings and relatives in estate proceedings). In particular, with respect to custody-support cases over children, it is easily understandable that custody is one of the more contested issues. However, the issue on child support should not be as complicated.
It should not be as complicated, but reality makes it so. Articles 195 and 196 of the Family Code enumerate the persons who are under obligation to support each other:
- (1) The spouses;
- (2) Legitimate ascendants and descendants;
- (3) Parents and their legitimate children and the legitimate and illegitimate children of the latter;
- (4) Parents and their illegitimate children and the legitimate and illegitimate children of the latter;
- (5) Legitimate brothers and sisters, whether of full or half-blood; and
- (6) Brothers and sisters not legitimately related, whether of the full or half-blood, except only when the need for support of the brother or sister, being of age, is due to a cause imputable to the claimant’s fault or negligence.
On the other hand, the amount of support should be in proportion to the resources or means of the giver and the necessities of the recipient, pursuant to Articles 194, 201 and 202 of the Family Code:
Art. 194. Support comprises everything indispensable for sustenance, dwelling, clothing, medical attendance, education and transportation, in keeping with the financial capacity of the family.
The education of the person entitled to be supported referred to in the preceding paragraph shall include his schooling or training for some profession, trade or vocation, even beyond the age of majority. Transportation shall include expenses in going to and from school, or to and from place of work.
Art. 201. The amount of support, in the cases referred to in Articles 195 and 196, shall be in proportion to the resources or means of the giver and to the necessities of the recipient.
Art. 202. Support in the cases referred to in the preceding article shall be reduced or increased proportionately, according to the reduction or increase of the necessities of the recipient and the resources or means of the person obliged to furnish the same.
If you are a parent, it is safe to assume that you would want the best for your child and you wouldn’t hesitate to provide adequate support. However, it’s unfortunate that when it comes to support for the common children (whether legitimate or illegitimate), so many fathers still fail (or worse, simply refuse) to provide adequate support. Whatever the reason is, and regardless of whether or not these reasons are correct, the problem became pervasive, so much so that Congress saw it fit to “criminalize” (only against fathers) the withholding of support in certain instances. Not everyone knows that this is covered under Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004“. [See Laws on Child Support in the Philippines]
Not everyone also knows that R.A. 9262 provides for criminal sactions or penalties for failure to provide support or withholding custody, in certain cases. Well, now you know.
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Sir,
Good afternoon sir/Atty. I’m Lyn separated with in about 8yrs. since we separated to my husband he give only support to our kids just 8times. And now lately he never give anymore even I begging him to give. Our 2 children 15yrs and 14yrs old do I still can file an abondon to my husband? He has now live in partner with a child. I’m just want to ask to file a case.
Hello atty. I would just like to know if may laban po ba ako kahit walang trabaho ung tatay ng mga bata. I have two kids, under my custody, ung tatay po nila feeling binata at suportado ng magulang niya. I am receiving goods from them, not cash, like milk and pangbaon sa school. Ilang beses ko na po sinabihan ung tatay nila na maghanap ng work kasi hirap na hirap na po ako, lalo na dalawa na po silang mag aaral this coming June. Pero parang wala lang po sa kanya, 3 years na po kaming hiwalay, pero ganito pa rin po setup hanggang ngayon. May laban po ba ako pagdinala ko to sa korte?
Hello po attorney. Ang asawa ko po ay nagtatrabaho sa U. S since 2004. Unfortunately nalaman ko po na may Iba na sya pamilya dun at may 4 ng anak. Nakakapagpadala po nman sya sa mga anak ko (14 & 13 years old) pero Kun kailan lang po siguro sya magkaron ng extra. Kasal po kami. Is it possible po na makakuha Ako ng child support kahit na nasa US sya. Isa po syang lineman ng isang electric company sa New Jersey.
Dear Atty.
I am seperated from my wife since 2001. they live in my in laws house together with my 4 children who were still minors then. I admit that i am in fault for i am now with another woman. However, i never missed sending financial support for them since our separation not until 2010 when i lose my job, she filed a case against me but i was aquitted since i presented financial support evidences and and proved that i was un employed by then. However, i continue to support them when i found a new job until.
My question is, do i still need to continue the financial support even if my kids are not already minors now? In fact, they are all profeesionals now. Tge monthly support i am sending is only being used by their mother for herself because she is a gambler.
Hoping you will educate me Attt.
Thank you,
Aries
humihingi po ako sa inyo ng payo kung paano ko malilift uli ang warrant of arrest ng asawa ko dahil nagkaroon na sya ng kaso ay nagka warrant of arrest na nung 2014 sa kasong ra 9262 .nakiuasap syang iwidraw ko at ibabalik ang allotte ko dahil sya ay isang seaman sa barko.pero ng umalis sya nitong march 4 2017 hindi po nya ako binigyan ng allotte. may apat po syang anak bale dalawa po ang minor kong anak. pumunta kami ng upisina hindi kami inasikaso dahil hindi daw nila kami matutulungan dahil family problem po daw yon ayaw nilang maistress daw ang seaman . tama po ba ang norteam shipping sa kanilang ginagawa sa amin,,, please po tulunga nyo kami hirap na hirap na po kami …
Hello po.. pwede po ba akong mag ask..
May friend po ako. May anak po sya 2 pero hindi sila kasal ng babae. Nung isa palang po ung anak nila nagsasama sila sa bahay nung lalaki pero nung nadagdagan na po ng isa nag pasya silang duon na muna tumira ung babae kasama ung 2 nyang anak sa pamilya nang babae tas ung lalaki sa famliy nman nya po. Dumadalaw lang ung babae at mga bata sa knya pag linggl or need ng money .. isang araw nalaman ng lalaki na nag sugal ung babae sa casino. Naubos ung ipon ng lalaki sa bangko. Simula nun nwalan na sya ng gana sa babae nainis sya at nagalit.. at nakikipag hiwalay na sya sa babae. Hanggang may nakilala syang babae at napgkwentuhan ng sama ng loob nya about sa knakasama nya hanggang sa mahulog a g loob nya dun. Ayaw pumayag ng kinakasama nya na mkipag hiwalay.. pinupuntahan nya sa work ung lalaki kasi gsto nya makausap minsan sa bahay nila.. at upang humingi nadin ng pera para sa mga bata. Ayaw mkpag usap ng lalaki bnibgyan na lang nya ito ng pera pang gastos sa pangangailngan ng anak nila. Hanggang isang araw nagkausap sila ng babae para klaruhin nrin sa babae na nais na nga nya mkpag hiwalay… habng nag uusap sila umamin ang babae na nakipag sex sya sa dalawang magkaibang lalaki at worst is co workers pa ng lalaki… inamin daw nya to para mgkabalikan sila.. nkalipas ang ilang linggo umamin na nman ang babae na buntis sya at hindi nya alam kung sino ang ama sa 2ng lalaki na nkatalik nya…. nkpag pasya na ang lalaki na never nyang babalika g ang babae .. pero ang mga bata gusto nyang nkuha upang suportahan. Pero ayaw ng babae. Isa g gabi inabngan nya ito sa work sa pag pupumilit nitong mkausap ang lalaki nagkskitan sila. Pinatkbo ng lalaki ang motor nya tas bglang humarang ang babae sa daraanan kaya nsaktan sya. Ngaun po pinatawag sya sa barangay ng babae. At knakasuhan ng abandonment..
Pinag tangkaan din po ng babae sakskin ang kanyang sarili sa harap ng magulang ng lalaki sa bahay ng lalaki at sa harap ng anak nila para mwala ang dinadala nya at para bumalik na sa knya ang lalaki..
Mattwag po bang abandonment un if never nman syang tumigil sa pag bgay mg sustento sa mga bata…
Hindi din po sila kasal .. anu po ba ang pwede nming gwin? Nsa barangay palang po ang kaso. Anu po ang pwedeng gwin para d na umabot sa korte..
Maraming salamt po sana matulungan nyo ako
Dear atty. Fred,
Magandang araw, Ako po si Carlota D. Lacno, from GMA Cavite, 31 taong gulang, nagtatrabaho sa SUCAT MUNTINLUPA, kasal kay Don Patrick lacno, at may anak kami Na si Rainne Patrick Lacno 5 taon gulang. ako po ay humihingi ng tulong o advice para po sa child support, lumapit na po ako sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno sa PAO, sa OWWA, POEA pati na din po sa kapulisan sa WOMEN’S DESK,upang humingi ng tulong dahil 8 BUWAN na po hindi nagpapadala ng suporta ang aking asawa, ngunit walang nangyari ang tanging option daw po ay mag file daw po ako ng case laban sa aking asawa pero ang consequence ay hindi na sya makakapag trabaho abroad. pag isipan ko daw po maigi. gusto ko lamang pong mangayari ay makalampag nyo po ang pinagtattrabahuhan ng aking asawa sa TAIWAN at sa kanyang agency eto ang kanyang agency sa paranaque FIL-SINO MANPOWER SERVICES INC.
ang kanyang emploter sa taiwan ay sa HONG-I MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL LTD.
nawa kami ay inyong matulungan ng aming anak.
MARAMING SALAMAT PO!
Lubos na gumagalang,
Carlota
Hi! I am 32 years old. May anak po akong 8 years old hiwalay po kami ng Daddy nya pero kasal po kaming 2. Ask ko lang po sana kung magkano ang pwede ko i demand na sustento namin sa kanya. Yung totoo po 2,500.00 lang per month ang binibigay nya, ang siste minsan wala pa or madalas delayed. Ayoko po sanang umabot sa legal kaso umaabuso na sya. Salamat po
Hello po Atty.
My husband recently wants us (with my 2 kids aged 10 yrs.old and 3 yrs.old) to leave us, he said he will take good care of the kids financially, but is it the only thing that matters? We are here in Riyadh, K.S.A, I wan to know po what are the rights of my kids , please advise me on what to do
Thank you.
Dear Atty.
Gusto ko pong malaman kung pwede po ba akong magdemand ng child support sa asawa ko na iniwan kami sa abroad at kasalukuyang walang trabaho sa Pilipinas? Naninirahan sya sa kanyang mga magulang na may lupain at may mga kapatid na may magagandang trabaho at sahod na sumusuporta sa kanya.
Maraming salamat po.
Rose